Paolo Di Canio sorry for outburst

John O’Shea has said Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio contacted him to smooth things over after publicly criticising him following the 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace.

O’Shea, 32, conceded a penalty when he fouled Dwight Gayle ten minutes from time with the scores at 1-1 and was sent off.

Speaking after the result -- a second defeat in three games for his reshaped side -- Di Canio said: “He has apologised after the game, but this is the second week in a row he has apologised for a mistake and he cannot keep doing it.” The manager called the situation “terrible”, "absolutely poor" and "not acceptable".

Di Canio’s public criticism was questioned by some media commentators, but former Manchester United player O’Shea said he had been unfazed.

“Getting criticised is one of those things, and that is his style of management,” he said. “What he had to say to me is private but, let me put it to you this way, it was him calling me.

“The criticism does not bother me in the slightest. It is water off a duck’s back to someone like me.

“Because he is such a passionate man, everything he does is getting hyped up. The only thing I am annoyed about is the fact that I let the team down.”